MintImperial’s Newbie WTF TK Build

[MintImperial[TK]]

8 hours ago, justjoseph63 said:

Looking good so far, James!  The underside doesn't have to be perfectly flat (no one sees that anyway) but can you add a photo of the back and posterior plate together?  That will give us/you a better idea of how much more work needs to be done.  Keep up the great work, sir.  You can do this, and we can help!
 

Thank you, justjoseph63. I’ll try to get to that tomorrow.

In the meantime, this angle shows the contour of teh visible bottom edge.

 

(Kind of what you’re asking for, just without the kidney.)




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Edited September 16, 2021 by MintImperial
Forgot to say thank you. How rude of me.

[MintImperial[TK]]

Hi Joseph. Here it is, all put together (from a few different angles):

 

 

 

[MintImperial[TK]]

 

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

Nice job, James!  That looks as if it may be about as close as you can get, but that's up to you.  Remember, it doesn't have to be perfect. 

 

I was looking at your bucket pics, and before you attach the lenses it will look much better if you even out the sides of the eyes a bit more.

 

    

 

I wouldn't suggest a Dremel tool for this.  A much easier method is to wrap some sandpaper (120 grit or so) around a pencil (or better yet a marker) and use it to sand down those areas.  Should take about 10 minutes or so and will give you a much better look.

 

Keep those pictures rolling in if you have any questions, especially before cutting or gluing.  

[MintImperial[TK]]

Nice job, James!  That looks as if it may be about as close as you can get, but that's up to you.  Remember, it doesn't have to be perfect. 
 
I was looking at your bucket pics, and before you attach the lenses it will look much better if you even out the sides of the eyes a bit more.
 
    
 
I wouldn't suggest a Dremel tool for this.  A much easier method is to wrap some sandpaper (120 grit or so) around a pencil (or better yet a marker) and use it to sand down those areas.  Should take about 10 minutes or so and will give you a much better look.
 
Keep those pictures rolling in if you have any questions, especially before cutting or gluing.  

Thank you. I was trying to copy the rough look of the Dave M helmet, which is why I left them a bit jagged. Happy to clean up a bit if you think that’s the better way to go.


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[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Dave M references 

 

[MintImperial[TK]]

Dave M references 
 

Awesome. Thank you. I will study again and get to work.


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[TKSpartan[Staff]]

coming along nicely James, keep it up ! 

[MintImperial[TK]]

]I accidentally painted my helmet at the weekend.

 

What I mean is, I hadn’t really psyched myself up for it and didn’t prep properly.

Was just toying with the idea of doing it. Next thing I know I’d painted the frown and so I just kept on going.

Still haven’t painted the tube stripes or the ear screws yet.

And I have a LOT of cleanup to do on the black pinstripe outlines on the tears, traps, etc., plus some other touch ups.

I also inadvertently pressed the vocoder up against my t-shirt while it was still wet, so I now have a great print on my shirt and a furry-looking underside on by bucket, which I will have to totally redo.

 

 

 

 

Hideously wonky lines that are way too thick. I may totally redo this using masking tape.

Have already started cleaning up some spills through the mask template, using a toothpick dipped in rubbing alcohol.

 

 

[MintImperial[TK]]

On 9/17/2021 at 7:01 PM, justjoseph63 said:

Nice job, James!  That looks as if it may be about as close as you can get, but that's up to you.  Remember, it doesn't have to be perfect. 

 

I was looking at your bucket pics, and before you attach the lenses it will look much better if you even out the sides of the eyes a bit more.

 

    

 

I wouldn't suggest a Dremel tool for this.  A much easier method is to wrap some sandpaper (120 grit or so) around a pencil (or better yet a marker) and use it to sand down those areas.  Should take about 10 minutes or so and will give you a much better look.

 

Keep those pictures rolling in if you have any questions, especially before cutting or gluing.  

Hi Joseph. I took another look at the Dave M helmet.
I feel I’m actually pretty close to it, eye-wise.

There are a couple of areas I want to fine-tune but, largely, I’m quite happy.

Would you mind taking a look at the images below and see if you stand by your comments? Thank you so much.

(Temporarily installed lenses to test the effect.)

 

 

[MintImperial[TK]]

Taking it for a test fit.
Held together with masking tape and gaffer tape only. No strapping. And dressed by myself. (Don’t judge me too harshly!)

Shoulders are a bit floaty as they’re held by one piece of tape running across my shoulders and they probably need a slight trim on the width.

And gloves are just placeholders with ABS plates while the glue is drying on my rubber gloves with flexi plates.






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Edited September 21, 2021 by MintImperial
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[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Exciting times, you may find once you start adding some strapping you may have to make some slight modifications just to tweak the gaps and fitment.

[MintImperial[TK]]

Exciting times, you may find once you start adding some strapping you may have to make some slight modifications just to tweak the gaps and fitment.

The biggest issue I think I’ll have is that the shins are quite short. I received three shorter pieces and one longer in my kit. I’m worried that my knee gap will be too large. I will try to set them slightly higher (without exposing the top of the boots and maybe set the thighs slightly lower to reduce the black.


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[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

11 minutes ago, MintImperial said:

The biggest issue I think I’ll have is that the shins are quite short. I received three shorter pieces and one longer in my kit. I’m worried that my knee gap will be too large. I will try to set them slightly higher (without exposing the top of the boots and maybe set the thighs slightly lower to reduce the black.

I have my shins up slightly higher than usual for that exact reason, I added some foam behind the bottom fronts of the shins so they sit higher on the boot. 

 

In your image looks like the thighs will come down a bit too once you start strapping  

[MintImperial[TK]]

I have my shins up slightly higher than usual for that exact reason, I added some foam behind the bottom fronts of the shins so they sit higher on the boot. 

That’s a great idea. Thank you.


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[MintImperial[TK]]

For shoulder bridges, I’ve filled the big square hollow and the first three narrow hollows with ABS paste to for more surface area contact when I glue them to the chest plate.

 

Been trying to check references and I think that, in general, four thinner hollow/bumps were positioned over the chest plate tabs with the rest free-floating.

 

Still trying to gauge the measurements for mine.

 

 

Later I will cut the last square hollow off the back end.

 

I’m not a huge guy. Pretty sure I won’t need it and I do want to be as screen-accurate as possible.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Depends on which armor, some are shorter, usually though  the 1 large tab and 4 1/2 small tabs are seen on the front. Also for higher levels, no large tab on the back.

 

[MintImperial[TK]]

Added the 3 split rivets each to my kidney and ab plates today.

10mm gap from the edge, 20mm from the top and evenly spaced along the length.

I reduced the 52mm and 53mm gaps to about 51mm because I previously had to shorten the kidney plates.

 

 

I reamed the holes using an RC car hole reamer as it’s so easy to accurately position the fine point and gradually increase the size of the hole.

 

 

 

Will paint these rivets white once I’ve strapped everything up.
If I do it now, I just know I’m going to scratch all the paint off and have to do it again.

 

 

 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

2 hours ago, MintImperial said:

 

 

 

Just a tip, most of us utilize the rivets and add the strapping behind which is screen accurate

 

For some extra strength for the strapping we add plastic plates behind as well

 

Other options are separate snap plates for strapping or even velcro.

 

[MintImperial[TK]]

56 minutes ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Just a tip, most of us utilize the rivets and add the strapping behind which is screen accurate

 

For some extra strength for the strapping we add plastic plates behind as well

 

Other options are separate snap plates for strapping or even velcro.

 

 

Thanks again Glen.

I do want it as screen-accurate as possible. At least from the outside.

But, at the same time, I’d like to be able to separate the chest and kidney plates completely for easier storage.
Did I see a build somewhere where the rivets go through the bottom part of three snaps?

Or did I imagine that? Sounds ideal if it could work.

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

14 minutes ago, MintImperial said:

But, at the same time, I’d like to be able to separate the chest and kidney plates completely for easier storage.
Did I see a build somewhere where the rivets go through the bottom part of three snaps?

Or did I imagine that? Sounds ideal if it could work.

 

You can do it that way, I modified one of my sets of armor so I could split it completely apart, was great for air travel. Just have to cut down the posts of the rivets as they are too long, a bit of grinding sorted that, then splitting the rivet into the male snap is a bit of messing around but finally got them in. I used snaps on both sides of the ab/kidney but afterwards I thought I only really needed to do it to one side and the others side could still be fixed in place.

 

Unfortunately I don't have any images of mine handy. I have seen some others do the same thing, I'll have to search see if I can find a thread.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Found this random image with snaps on the rivets

 

And another

 

No 2 in this image shows cap rivets through the snap which is also another option rather than just using the rivets

 

This one they add snaps next to the rivets.

 

 

Another with snaps using plates for the other side of the snap, this would not allow any give though which the elastic does

 

You could also cut the head off the split rivet and glue over the hole then glue snap plates behind, there are lots of different ways to do it.

 

 

[MintImperial[TK]]

Wow. Thank you for all of that.

You’re so right about needing only three snaps, not six. I’m not smart enough to think that through and would’ve gone the whole way!

I love the idea of the plastic plate connecting all six snaps. But do you think the stresses on this would be worse than separate straps as the whole plate would have to move together?


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[MintImperial[TK]]

My mistake. You already answered my question before I asked it!


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[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

4 hours ago, MintImperial said:

My mistake. You already answered my question before I asked it!

 I can give too much info at times and can be missed